Director Ridley Scott and actor Russell Crowe have collaborated many times over the years, however, it was all because of one scene that made Scott a huge fan of Crowe’s acting. There is no doubt that Crowe has exceptional acting skills, and that’s exactly what he displayed when Scott asked him to do a scene on the first day of filming 2000’s Gladiator.
Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator
Their first collaboration, Gladiator, was a massive success, bringing in $503 million at the global box office. The film played a crucial role in making Crowe a household name around the world. It was his performance in L.A. Confidential (1997) that put Crowe on the producers’ and studio’s radar.
Also read: Ridley Scott Attempted To Hide His Subpar 21-Page Gladiator Script From Lead Actor Russell Crowe Who Claimed It Was “So Bad”
Ridley Scott had a test for Russell Crowe on the first day of shooting
Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator
During his appearance on The Howard Stern Show, actor Russell Crowe recalled the time director Ridley Scott had a test for him on the first day of shooting 2000’s Gladiator,
“He just comes up to me and goes, ‘I’m just gonna shoot you contemplating, I want you to look over you to your right and I want you to see a small bird in the tree. Perhaps, it makes you smile, the bird takes off and I want you to watch its flight, and its flight brings you back to the battlefield, and what’s actually in front of you,’ and he goes, ‘Action!’ So I do that and I am pretty sure I did every single thing he asked, and I put little strokes of color on certain things and then I brought the attention back to the battlefield and he just came up to me [and said], ‘You and me are gonna be f**king great together mate.’”
Crowe’s work as Maximus Decimus Meridius in the film was praised by fans and critics all over the world, earning him an Academy Award as Best Actor. Even today, the film is credited with reinventing the sword-and-sandal genre.
Also read: “I’ll do it – I’ll burn it to the ground”: Ridley Scott Found Divine Intervention on Gladiator Set While Filming Iconic Opening Battle With Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe has always been a huge fan of Ridley Scott
Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott on the sets of Gladiator
In 2004, Crowe appeared for an interview with Inside the Actors Studio and explained that he has always been a huge fan of Ridley Scott’s work,
“They said, ‘It’s a 100-million-dollar film. You’re being directed by Ridley Scott. You play a Roman general.’ I’ve always been a big fan of Ridley’s.”
In fact, the script was unfinished when Crowe was approached for the role, but Scott’s name was enough to convince Crowe for the role. The director and actor went on to work together in various films after Gladiator, including, Body of Lies (2008), A Good Year (2006), American Gangster (2007), and Robin Hood (2010).
Related: Not Just Lord of the Rings, Russell Crowe Also Made Crazy Decision to Turn Down a Superhero Role That Will Finally Debut in Avengers 6

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“You and me are gonna be f—king great together”: Ridley Scott Fell in Love With Russell Crowe After One Test Scene That Didn’t Even Have a Line